North Carolina State UniversityThe Friday InstituteNCSU College of EducationNCSU NELA Project Hompage

Standard 3: Cultural Leadership

School executives will understand and act on the understanding of the important role a school's culture plays in contributing to the exemplary performance of the school. School executives must support and value the traditions, artifacts, symbols, and positive values and norms of the school and community that result in a sense of identity and pride upon which to build a positive future. A school executive must be able to "re-culture" the school if needed to align with school's goals of improving student and adult learning and to infuse the work of the adults and students with passion, meaning, and purpose. Cultural leadership implies understanding the school and the people in it each day, how they came to their current state, and how to connect with their traditions in order to move them forward to support the school's efforts to achieve individual and collective goals.

Standard 3a: Focus on Collaborative Work Environment

Proficient: Designs strategies for achieving a collaborative and positive work environment within the school; seeks input from the School Improvement Team and other stakeholders to make decisions; utilizes data gained from the Teacher Working Conditions Survey and other sources to identify perceptions of the work environment.

Activities:

  • Worked with School Leadership and School Improvement Teams to gain input and suggestions surrounding my internship project "Problem of Practice"
  • Implemented a "Shout Outs" initiative schoolwide, to help increase staff morale and improve overall school culture
  • Worked with School Progress Management Team (SPMT) to discuss and analyze the constructs of the TWC survey (including work environment)

Artifacts:




Standard 3b: School Culture and Identity

Proficient: Uses shared values, beliefs, and a shared vision to promote a school culture of learning and success; works with others to address diversity and equity as the school develops, monitors, and adjusts the school improvement plan.

Activities:

  • Worked with the School Progress Management Team (SPMT) to analyze and enhance the school's culture
  • Worked with the School Leadership Team to develop and plan for the implementation of a school-wide Bullying Intervention Plan
  • Engaged with members of the school and community during Belmont's Fall "Fun Day" at Creekside Housing Authority, working to build a stronger, more relational culture between school staff and parents
  • Assisted in implementing a rotation schedule of daily "rounds" for our administrative team, to help increase our visibility and accessibility across the school

Artifacts:




Standard 3c: Acknowledges Failures; Celebrates Accomplishments and Rewards

Proficient: Works with others to use established criteria for performance as the primary basis for reward and recognition.

Activities:

  • Implemented a "Shout Outs" initiative schoolwide in our weekly newsletter; recognized the accomplishments of teachers, students, and staff members each week, as noted by their colleagues and the administration
  • Assisted in implementing PBIS procedures as Belmont worked towards progressing through Module 2; participated in schoolwide ticket system which rewarded students based on their demonstration of Belmont's core values, "R2C2" (Respect, Responsibility, Cooperation, Courtesy)
  • Worked with administration to recognize staff members with "Gold Star Bee" certificates throughout the year, based on exceptional teaching and learning seen in their classrooms that day/week

Artifacts:




Standard 3d: Efficacy and Empowerment

Proficient: Identifies strategies for building a sense of efficacy and empowerment among staff; identifies strategies for developing a sense of well-being among staff, students, and parents/guardians.

Activities:

  • Worked with administrative team to administer and discuss the results of a teacher efficacy survey, to help identify areas where teachers feel adequately empowered and where they feel they have less influence or "voice"

Artifacts: